And, now, finally, here's the last chapter of this story, after far too many years have passed in the complete posting of it. A lot of things happened between 2004 and now to keep the last nine segments of this story posted, unfortunately, but finally we're all coming to the end of it. I hope not to have to take another fourteen-plus years to finish not only the next story for this, but also the rest of the relevant story series set in this particular time period, for sure.

I have two more completed volumes lined up behind this one, and one still partly-completed after book six, for this story series. I may also refer to events and people in this series, or may have already done so, in other Sailor Moon-related stories and/or series, including my story called Earth Versus the Power-Hunters or any related stories that may eventually follow it as well, just so you know, folks. Just how much and how I might, you'll all just have to wait and see, in order to find out.

But until then, let's finish this story, first, and then prepare for what may eventually come to pass for the next several volumes in THIS story series, as the need and desire arises. Seeing as Time Vortex One and Operation Cocoon One have both been completely written, at least, those are the next two stories which will be posted up here as time allows, and all, for sure. Once OC1 is done, posting-wise, I'll finally begin posting OC2 as quickly and as best as I can, and see where things then take us all, if at all possible.

I don't know yet how many volumes may ultimately be in this story series, of course. But I do know when the final battle is going to have to happen prior to the ultimate fall of the Moon Kingdom, at least. It will take place around the time when Serena and certain others turn fifteen or thereabouts. Other than that, a lot of details are still up in the air, in just how certain things come to happen in this story series, including the matters of who might live and who might not, by the end of it.

With no further ado, let's all finish this story, everyone. Until later, TUS out.

First Bethlehem Cathedral

Moon City, Moon Kingdom, Moon

May 7, 987

About a week later, it was time for all five quintuplets to be christened in their lives. Of course, because they were still only a week old, they were still unable to prepare themselves enough for their shared christening ceremony. Serenity and others had to prepare them for it, so that they'd all be ready by the necessary time on their christening day. Serenity often had her three oldest daughters help her and others with the babies in question. But not all the time, because all of them weren't girl babies. The male babies were mainly prepared by Daniel, Darien, and Rolando. While the females were mainly prepared for such a ceremony by Serenity and their three older sisters.

Serenity mainly worked with Laura, while Serena did the same with Shari. And the twins did the same with Rocío. At least occasionally, Serenity let other members of Serena's current crowd help with the girl babies, just as Daniel was also letting Darien and Rolando help him with Samuel and Robert. Eventually, by about 7 am local time on May 7, 987, all five of the quintuplets were sufficiently ready for their shared christening ceremony, for all the obvious reasons.

After Serenity had made sure enough to suit her that all her newest babies were ready for that ceremony, she soon had everyone get ready to leave the Imperial Palace for the First Bethlehem Cathedral elsewhere in Moon City. When that was done as well, she had everyone start to leave the Imperial Palace for that cathedral. Eventually, everyone who'd be at the ceremony had left the Imperial Palace's grounds behind for at least a little while.

Everyone got to the First Bethlehem Cathedral elsewhere in Moon City by 11 in the morning local time. And they were all in it to a sufficient degree by no more than an hour later than that time, for the obvious reasons. Once they all were there, and Serenity knew they were, she soon had the priest chosen for the ceremony in question here begin it.

It took about twenty or so minutes for each child to be baptized and christened in the necessary font, except in the case of Shari. For much like her older sister had done almost eleven years before, she essentially led others then with her on a bit of a chase. And just like her own mother had done any number of years before, when she was that age. Shari didn't mark up any scrolls quite like her oldest sister and her mother had done at the same ages in their own lives. But she still did lead them and others on a bit of a chase, if not a long chase, just the same.

She even tried to play a little hide-and-seek with her mother, her three oldest sisters, and other Princesses who'd tried to catch up with her in that chase. Including, of course, Sylvia. But eventually, she was found by Destiny, who heard her as she was trying to explore all over the cathedral, especially near the stairs that led to its steeple, or to one of them, if that steeple wasn't the cathedral's only one. Before she could start ascending that stairwell, Destiny heard her, and let Serena and their mother know right away where Shari now was in the cathedral. That done, Destiny, Bethany, Serena, and Serenity soon boxed her in, and they soon caught her. After which the rest of Shari's part of the ceremony soon was completed, before Rocío's part of it was done as well.

Eventually, all five quintuplets had been baptized and christened in their respective parts of the ceremony. After they were, Serenity soon let everyone leave the cathedral behind, if they really wanted to, before she and anyone else decided to leave it. Most of the people at the ceremony that'd just ended in the First Bethlehem Cathedral took Serenity up on that offer. But not all of them did so, at least not yet. Those that did so not long afterward soon left the cathedral for elsewhere in Moon City's local area on the Moon, if they didn't choose to stay in Moon City for at least a little while longer.

Those that chose to stay behind at the cathedral for at least a little while longer were Serenity and her three oldest daughters, as well as Mara, Ginkya, Yazmis, Zardiz, Sylvia, Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina. Everyone else either went back to the Imperial Palace, or went somewhere else in the Moon City local area, if they didn't go to the Crystal Palace instead. Serenity sent Daniel back to the Imperial Palace with all five of the quintuplets and anyone else who wanted to go back there right away. Everyone else who left the cathedral shortly after the ceremony then went back to wherever they wanted to go in the Moon City area, if not elsewhere in Moon City instead.

After Serenity saw everyone leave the cathedral who currently wanted to leave it, she then shut the doors to it from the inside for at least a little while. This, of course, was after the priest who'd conducted the ceremony let her do so, if he was still anywhere in the cathedral at that time. If he wasn't, she did so anyway, for all the obvious reasons, just the same.

After she did so, in either case, Serena soon asked her, "Mother, are you upset that Shari acted like we did at our christening ceremonies?"

"Not really, Serena. But I still am not happy, of course, that she did so."

"I understand that, Mother. Will she likely get spanked like I did almost eleven years ago?"

"Probably. And just like I did, if I remember well enough what your maternal grandmother's reaction to such behavior of mine was, Serena."

"And what about her?"

"I think she did the same thing that we did, Serena, when she herself was that young."

"Queen Serenity, are you actually saying that such behavior might be potentially hereditary in your mother's part, at least, if not also in your father's part, of your own family?" asked Amy.

"Maybe I am, Amy. But as of the moment, I can't recall whether or not it might run quite commonly in either or both halves of my own family, at least among my ancestors. I'd not be surprised if there might be a genetic cause to such behavior of mine, Serena's, and Shari's, at the very least, if not among any other members of my family, Amy."

"Your own mother was a Camulet, was she not, Queen Serenity?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, she was, Sylvia."

"And wasn't the House of Camulet once the House of the Moon Kingdom's rulers, Queen Serenity?"

"As a matter of fact, Sylvia, the first King of our Moon Kingdom was a Camulet. And Camulets ruled our Moon Kingdom until about AD 120, when the House of Murray gained the throne, through marriage."

"And the first King from that House was who?" asked Mina.

"Rolando I, whose Queen was Queen Shawna, Mina. Their descendants held the throne until about AD 370, when the House of Wallace gained it, through marriage. The Wallaces eventually relinquished the throne to the Irvings, in the same manner, before they also eventually passed it to the Harmons, in that manner. The Irvings didn't last more than about fifty years on the throne, I think, before the Harmons gained control of the Moon Kingdom. The Harmons held it for about two hundred Earth years, before my House gained control of our Moon Kingdom's throne, through marriage. I will be the last of the Caranskis on the throne, I believe. After me, if Serena's ever going to rule our Moon Kingdom, the House of Moon or the House of Shields will rule it. I can't say which right now, of course. I am still a descendant, though, of Jason I and his Queen, Queen Eve. Even though the Houses in control have changed, over time, through marriage. As are all my children. I shall have no more children of my own, however, at least not in this place, if ever again."

Raye asked, "Queen Serenity, do you think eight children are now enough for you two?"

"Yes, Raye. I don't need any more babies of my own. It'll be hard enough to take care of my present children without having more. True, I wasn't really expecting, at least at first, to have five more babies with Daniel. But now I do. And now, I've had eight children. I hope that I'll be able to spend enough time with each of them in whatever time we might all have left here in the Moon Kingdom, of course. I'll have six girls and two boys, it seems, for whatever time we may have left here in this Moon Kingdom of ours."

"Are you glad that you now have eight kids?"

"Sort of, Raye, but also sad that they may not get to have much of a childhood here in our Moon Kingdom before our enemy comes here to conquer and/or destroy us."

"If they survive long enough, somehow?"

"It'll probably be very tough for them all to ever remember this place well enough in each of their own mortal lives, I think, Mara."

"And if you have to send them to our world?"

"Then I do, Ginkya. I don't know yet if I'd be able to do that, somehow, if I was ever given the chance to do just that. But I hope that if I am given that chance, I'm able to do so. Just in case our Negaverse enemies do actually come here as we all think they might."

"So do we all, Queen Serenity," said Ginkya.

"I'll hate to have to send you all away, if the need arises, and I can. But I don't want any of you to lose your futures, if it can possibly be avoided at all, girls. I've had my time, or at least I think I shall have had my time, by the time they get here, girls. But I really don't think that you kids will have had enough time to live by then. So I'll do the best that I can to ensure you all have futures of your own, if worse comes to worst here for us all in the Moon Kingdom. I don't think that the Negaverse will be able to cause trouble for you girls for at least a little while, if I'm somehow able to send you to Earth to live in the future. Or at least I hope not. Sure, you might not ever be able to walk on your own worlds for a while, if ever, if I have to send you away from here, if you're not from Earth. But I'd rather have you as safe as you possibly can be in the future, than to have you lost here in the Moon Kingdom where I can't save you at all. That's if I possibly can have you all be as safe as possible then, instead of being here and dead for good after the Negaversers come here, if they do, which I think that they will."

"And what of our worlds, Queen Serenity?" asked Amy.

"If our worlds get ruined by our enemies, then they do. If they do, however, I hope there is at least one other place in the Universe I can send everyone I'm somehow able to save, Amy. And I hope that in this system, at least, that place is Earth. I could be wrong, of course. But I don't think that I am. And I'm not the only one who thinks that Earth may be the proper place for those who I'm able to save to live, at least for a while, if not forever."

"And if the Moon, for instance, remains desolate?"

"Then so be it, I think, Yazmis. But I don't think that it will remain desolate forever, if I know humanity well enough. The Moon will someday be inhabited again, I think. And if it is, I think the Negaverse will never again be able to destroy life on it again. Granted, the Moon of the future, if it's ever repopulated, may not look exactly like it's looked like for many years. But at least it might be repopulated, and made sufficiently habitable again. I suspect, though I don't yet know for sure, of course, that Mars will be habitable again someday, as will maybe Venus and Mercury. However, Amy's world is quite close to the sun. And Mina's world orbits inside the planetary orbit of Earth. So it may be harder for humanity to repopulate those two planets than it might be to repopulate Mars. I don't know if I can be as optimistic, however, for Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, at least. Of course, I hope that all the worlds of our Moon Kingdom are eventually repopulated, and that all their moons that are inhabited now are too then. But I don't hold out much hope for such things to ever be true somehow in the future."

"So those of us who aren't from Earth may never see our own homes again on our worlds?"

"I'm afraid so, Lita. Of course, I don't like the idea of that being the case. But I realize it very well might be, if our enemies are so ruthless as to make it quite impossible for any sentient life to ever be able to live, and survive on them. Much less any life at all, as a matter of fact. I'm sure that if they have the chance, they'll surely try to eradicate all life on our worlds, or at least all sentient life, except for their own. They seem to hate all life except for their own and anyone who's always on their side in the Universe, like Satan and all his fallen angels."

"And if they find us on Earth, somehow?" asked Zardiz.

"Then you all must fight to the best of your respective abilities against them, no matter what the cost might be to you. You must protect those people you can, if they're not actually from the Negaverse. Even if they may be under Negaverse control, you must protect them to the best of your abilities to do so."

"Even if they include my honey?"

"Yes, Serena. It may be hard for you to fight against him, even if you don't yet know it's him. But you must do what you can to protect him. Even if he might be under our enemies' control, you must try to protect him, somehow, if possible. You may not know it's him, at least not for a while, but you must still try to protect him, just the same. You may not realize that it's him, to a sufficient enough degree. But you still will try to do what you can for him and others you're trying to protect in the future, until you know it's actually him then. He'll try to do the same for you and others with you, I think. Though you may not know that while you're trying to protect him, Serena."

"And then what?"

"You handle things to the best of your ability to do that. I'm sure that you can probably remember your dreams and visions of the future well enough, if you just think of them enough, Serena. But I think that the future mainly is still to be written. Even if we may have periodic glimpses of possible futures for those of us who survive easily enough in God's very own Universe."

"For all of us, Mother?"

"Yes, Serena. Even for Destiny and Bethany, if they somehow are able to be saved by me before it's too late to do so here in the Moon Kingdom."

"And if you aren't able to save us all, Mom?"

"Then I hope you who somehow survive eventually remember those of us who don't somehow survive long enough into the future, of course, Serena."

"I agree, Mom. Whether or not Bethany and I do somehow survive long enough into it, I do agree with you, at least in that kind of thing," commented Destiny.

"Thanks, Destiny. I will miss you all, though, maybe, if I'm able to, when I send those of you away who I'm able to save. I may or may not have time to miss you all. But I still may wish that I'd not had to send all of you away who I'd been able to save with my Crystal and my Wand, just the same, Destiny. I don't know yet if I'll somehow be able to save you all. But you can be sure that I hope I can, for all the obvious reasons."

"And how will we know who you were actually able to save, Mother, if any of us ever survive long enough into the future?" asked Bethany.

"You probably won't, unless you encounter them wherever I'm able to send those of you who I can somehow save for the future, Bethany. Just because you may not be in any of our dreams and visions of possible futures in the 20th Century, at least, I don't think that means that I'll not be able to save you for such a time from here."

Then everyone who was still in the cathedral talked for at least a little while longer with each other. But not past about 5 or 6 pm local time, in any case. After they eventually got tired of talking with each other in the cathedral, they all soon left it, and they all went back to the Imperial Palace elsewhere in Moon City.

The next few weeks were mainly spent by them trying to get back to a normal enough routine in their lives, at least until such time as they might find another adventure coming their ways. The Peruvians went back to their palace that was now in the Crescent area of the Moon. While Sylvia, Rolando, and Darien each returned to their own parts of Earth, before it was too late for them to do so without worrying everyone in each of their own families.

Especially Sylvia, for her siblings were beginning to wonder if they should try to get to Japan as she'd asked them to do in her letter, and in a prior conversation she'd had with them, before she'd gone to Peru with God's help sometime before. She got back no later than about a day or two before June 987 would begin. And she was able to keep her horses from being paired up in ways that she didn't want them to be paired up in. Because of that fact, Great Sea's Edge was never actually paired up with Princess Caralina, as Sylvia had hoped he'd never be. In fact, not long after she'd gotten back to Wakefield Castle, he ran away, or he disappeared. Most, if not all, of the people in Sylvia's family didn't know which was actually the case between them. But they did know one of those two things did happen to Great Sea's Edge, just the same. For hardly any trace of him still remained anywhere under the control of Sylvia's family, if any at all. Sylvia didn't wish this on him, of course. But she wasn't surprised at all that he'd gone missing, for some unknown reason. Other horses in the Jerusalem area had been known to go missing sometimes over at least the last few years, if not even longer. And Great Sea's Edge seemed to be one of them. Nobody yet knew if he'd ever return to Wakefield-controlled land. But if he didn't, then he didn't.

In any case, however, not more than a few days after Sylvia's return to Wakefield Castle, and not more than a few days before Great Sea's Edge went missing, Princess Caralina and Moonlight Serenade were paired up with each other, with the help of Sylvia. And soon enough, Sylvia would learn that Princess Caralina was carrying at least one foal, if not more. But she'd not learn that for at least a little while, most likely.

As for Rolando, he went back to Scotland. And he tried to enjoy himself, at least until he was again able to be with Sylvia and the rest of their friends, either from Japan, Peru, or anywhere at all in the Moon Kingdom. Little did he know he might see Sylvia and other friends of his before too much longer. Only time would tell if he would, of course. But he'd probably see them all again someday in the future, if all went sufficiently according to plan for all people concerned.

As for Darien, he went back to work on his nation's joint project with the Moon Kingdom. And he continued working on it whenever he could, back in Kyoto, Japan, if he wasn't doing anything else at all in his life back there in Japan. Periodically, he'd visit the Moon briefly, if he had to. But normally, while he was working on that project, he'd stay Earthside, and not Moonside, communicating with Rolando, Sylvia, and others via the usual message canisters. This, of course, was for all the obvious reasons. And he did so whenever he could possibly do so.

And as for all those now on the Moon, they quite naturally tried to get back to a normal enough routine in their lives there, if they'd not already done so shortly after they'd most recently come back to it sometime before. Even Serena and the rest of her crowd, which now included her last five siblings. Serena often spent quite a bit of time with her siblings, whenever her parents let her do so, due to the fact that she'd been grounded, as had Raye, for their earlier fight back on Earth. That was when she wasn't otherwise restricted in her movements around either the Imperial Palace or the Crystal Palace, or whenever she wasn't training as a Scout. Until she and the rest of her crowd actually found another adventure coming their way, then, she and the rest of it would try to enjoy themselves as much as they could.

And that adventure might happen very soon, or it might not. But only time would tell. In any case, however, this just-ended adventure of theirs would be called by them, "A Rather Hostile Takeover." And it'd join the three previous tales that were already in the Chrysanthemum Chronicles story series. And it'd not be the last story in that story series, for the Negaverse hadn't yet come to the Moon, intent on either conquering or destroying it totally. And at least as long as that was the case, there'd still be adventures added to it periodically. Whether or not there were also some adventures added to it even after the fall of the Moon Kingdom, in fact. That might be the case here, or it might not. Due to Serenity eventually trading its continued existence and her life in order to save as many of her Moon Kingdom's inhabitants as she could from states of permanent enough death, and send those she was able to save into the future, somehow.

End of Story Four

And with that, we now conclude A Rather Hostile Takeover. I will likely come back to this story later, and seek to edit and/or revise it, so that it ultimately reads better than it may now read. But that will probably not happen at least as long as I still have chapters to go through for Book III of this story series. Once I'm done working on the likely-needed changes to that story, I expect to do the same here, where and when possible and appropriate enough.

I plan to start uploading and posting chapters for Time Vortex One within the next week, I think. As I have already said, I have completed it already. It still needs to be posted in its entirety, however. As does Book VI in the series. Book VII is partly completed, but that volume has been stalled in development for many years, unfortunately, for various reasons. I do not yet have at least a working title for Book VIII in the series, but by the time I get close to the end of Book VI or Book VII, I hope to have a suitable enough one to use here, for sure, Lord willing.

I hope to have all chapters posted for Time Vortex One by the end of January, but we'll have to see what the rest of the month holds in store for us all, for sure, folks. And all chapters for Operation Cocoon One posted by no later than the end of February, seeing as that story has already been completely written as well, at least in a first draft state, if not a final draft state, in truth. After OC1 is posted, we'll have to see how much longer it will be before OC2 is completed as well, of course.

Until next time, then, I will close this. I hope you all enjoyed this story at least a little bit, if not a lot, in various places. Although I know some of you might not have enjoyed certain parts of it, due to the major tragic events and all in it, folks. I wish you all well, and I hope you continue to read future stories in this story series, at least, as well. And maybe even leave various comments related to any or all of them as well, periodically, of course. TUS out.